Soul Friend

We have business coaches and career mentors. We have personal trainers and dieticians. We have therapists and counselors. But who in your life helps keep your soul in tune with God? In Celtic spirituality, that person is an anamchara – a “soul friend.”¹ An anamchara helps us pay attention to the Holy Spirit in our lives physically, relationally, emotionally, even financially, and vocationally. An anamchara helps us connect our whole life with the life of God in Jesus Christ. Even though the passage is not about this topic, some characteristics of a good anamchara (“soul friend”) can be found in James 5:13-20. A good “soul friend” is…

·     A faithful companion – Walks with us in suffering and song without trying to “fix” it. (James 5:13)

·     A fervent prayer warrior – Prays for us and with us, listening to the Holy Spirit’s whisper in our everyday lives. (James 5:17)

·     A trusted confessor – Helps us receive Christ’s forgiveness (James 5:16)

·     A reliable truth-teller – Speaks truth and asks questions when we start to wander (James 5:19-20)

You can watch the entire traditional or contemporary worship service on our YouTube channel here.

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve

Thin Places: A Thin People

 

Do you have a special place where you sense the nearness of God? Maybe it’s on the water or in the mountains. Perhaps that special place is a quiet corner and a comfortable chair in your home. Celtic Christians of the Early Middle Ages called these locations “Thin Places.” They are settings where we sense God’s presence touching our earthly reality. 1 Peter 2:1-12 says the church is a place where Heaven and earth overlap. We are a ‘thin people!’ Heaven and earth overlap as “all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (1 Peter 2:1) is replaced with God’s mercy in our hearts toward others (1 Peter 2:10).

Can you be a “Thin Place” in your home, workplace, or neighborhood today?

If you missed Sunday's message, you can listen to it here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Join us next time as our “Thin Places” series continues with a look at “Soul Friendships.”

Yours for Christ,

Pastor Steve